Baffle structure for dredging operations



March 31. 1925. 1,531,743

- L. H. FALLEY BAFFLE STRUCTURE FOR DREDGING OPERATIQNS Filed Oct. 25, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y Invent)? .5 /2 & I 3' f Wham: m JMXQ march 31. 1925. 1,531,743

L. H. FALLEY BAFFLB STRUCTURE FOR DREDGING OPERATIONS Filed Oct. 23, 1922 2 sums-sum 2 Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED sures LEWIS H. FAILEY, OF KANSAS 'c'IrY, MIssoURI, A'ssl' 1\ToRTo an, rAL EY, or

KANSA$ CITY, ivrIss'o'URI;

BAFELE STRUCTURE FOR surname drumm s.

Application filedflctob'er 23,1=922. Serial No. 596,337.

T0 aZZ whom it may cancer/tr.

I Be it known that I, Lnw'rs H. FALLEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Kansas City, Missouri, have -'nve'nted a certain new and useful Improvement in Bafflestructures Dredging Operations, of which the follow,- ing is a complete specification.

The present invention relates to apparatus for use in dredging or analogous operations in the beds and banks of rivers or waterways, and aims to provide an improved construction of this general character which is adapted for efficient operation in shifting the material of such beds or banks, or for protecting the same, by 'a modification of the movement of the watercurrents into which the apparatus is in troduced.

For this purpose I have devised an improved water deflecting or bafiiingmeans designed to efi'ect the necessary modification of the water movement for securing such shifting or deposit of the material to be acted upon as is required, together with an improved form of supporting means wheres by the battle structure may be not only properly supported and conveniently adjusted into its most effective working position, but also shifted from point to point as the work progresses.

\Vith this general object in view, as well as minor objects as will hereinafter appear, the invention will now be described by ret erence to the accompanying drawings, il-' lustrating practical forms of embodiment of the same, after which those features deemed to be novel will be particularly set forth and claimed. I

In the drawings Figure l is an elevation showing the improved apparatus supported by a boat and in working relation to the bed of a stream;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same ,Figure 3 is a section taken on the line III--III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of the apparatus;

Figure 5 *is an enlarged detail sectional view of the-same; and V Figure 6 is a similar view showing a modified form of one of the bafiie elements.

Referring now to said drawings in detail, and more particularly to Figures 1 to '3, these illustrate the invention in the county of Jackson, State of" of use, the arrangement indicated the form of a pair of forwardly converging bailie members 10,*that is, forwardly with reference to the direction "of the current as indicated by of the baifiemembers 10 comprising upper row or bafile elements or blades 11, and a lower row of bafiie blades 12. The particular size, pitch and contour of these blades ,are innnate'rial, as these factors would of course depend upon the conditions illustrated being similar to that shown in my copend ing ap plica-tions Serial N o.,562,'142, filed May 19 the. arrows in Figure 1, each i 1922, and Serial O. 575,693,'filed.Ju-'ly 1v:

1922. In this arrangemengthe blades 11 and Rare bent and-also slig htly twisted in opposite directions, so that 5011111 1261- cepting a current flowing in' the direction water Will be deflected down ward by the lower blades 12, and the two sets of blades 12 will operate to spread the currentfioW in opposite directions as inclicated by the arrows in Figure 2. The rear ends of the members 10 are a cross brace 13, and also formed with rearwardly projecting arms 14 secured by bolts 15 to a pair of supporting arms 16 provided with a series of bolt-open,-

connected by da'pte'd to :be

ings 17 for adjustable connection with the arms 14. The arms 16 are elbow-shaped for supporting the baflie structure "in depending relation to the end of a boat 18, v

to the opposite trunnion blocks the upper ends of the arms -16, the latter being provided with ings 20 for adjustable connection with *theblocks-19. By means of this supporting structure, the bafiie members may be adj-usted both vertically and horizontally with relation. to the hull of the boat, into the required operative position. At their forward connected ends, said baflle members 10 are attached to acable; 21 operatingoyera roller 22 at the upper end 'ofya staff 23 carried, by the boat, on which may also be located a suitable Winch devicef2t -for the purpose of operating the cable for lowering or raising :the battle structure into and out of operative position, 'in an obvious manner. To the, forward connected ends of the bafli'e members is also attached a shoe 25'cur-ving to a'level below thatof-the'lower ends of the blades '12 for.aifordingprotection' tothe latter againstiinjury' from the sides of which are secured a plurality of open 19 for piyotally mounting p toward the meeting point v such a manner end of the apparatus,

bed of thestream in case the device is moved while in operative position.

Supported within the baffle structure is a hood or canopy 26 open at its rear end to the water flow and sloping forwardly bers 10, the lower edge of the .hood coinciding approximately with the middle line of said baflie members and the rear end of the hood projecting slightly above the upper blades 11. 7

On positioning. the above apparatus in that the current of the waterwithin the open or rear as indicated in Figure 1, the main body .of'the current will be deflected downward by and intercepted by the lower bafile blades 12. These blades will divide the water into a multiplicity of minor or secondary currents moving downward and outward with a spiral or twisting motion and against the material composing the bed of the stream, causing a loosening and digging effect. The provision of the hood 26 accentuates the movement of the .waterflow in the direction of the lower blades and thereby promotes this material'loosening action. That portion of the waterflow which is intercepted by the upper blades 11 is deflected 'upwardly and outwardly, which is the proper action for facilitating the outward sweep of the lower strata of the water bythe action of the lower blades. The combined action of the baffle members is to loosen the material and, by the outwardly deflected motion of the divided or secondary currents produced by the baffle blades, divert the -material to a position out to one side or the way will be received other of the baflie structure, which thus operates to sluice a path through the bed of the stream, or to break down a bar or other obstruction which may be subjected to the operation of the device.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 5, these illustrate a modification making use of a triangular frame 30 carrying a single group of ba'lile blades comprising the upper row of blades 11 and lower row of blades 12 along one side of the frame. This frame 30 may be of hollow construction, as shown, for the purpose of strength and lightness, and also given greater buoyancy by means of a sealed vacuum. The projecting arms 31 at the rear of the frame 30 are provided with pins 32 for securing it to the supporting arms 16 in lieu of the bafile structure already described, and the front corner of the frame is provided witha' projection 83 for the attachment of the cable 21. In place of a second group of baffle blades, as in the first form of construction, the other side of the frame 30 in this modification is provided with a plain facing of suitable sheet material forming a vertical wall 3 1, to the of the baflie mem-' the hood or canopy 26 inner face of which is secured a pair of angle strips 35 converging toward the front end of said wall. 35 is adapted to be secured one side of a flat hood or canopy plate 36 in inclined position with its other side edge resting on the other side of the frame 30 at the base of the upper baffle blades 11. the baffle action ofthe blades, a pair of water pipes 37 may be mounted above and below that side of the frame 30 carrying the baffle blades, with jet pipes 38 projecting in the direction of each blade, suitable water connections (not shown) being designed to be attached to either of said pipes 37 for supplying .water thereto under pressure. The two sets of waterjets and interchangeability of'the plate 36 with reference to the supporting strips 35, enables this form-of the device to be reversed, so that the discharge from the baffle blades will take place either to the right or to the left. This form of the construction is especially adapted for working in close to the shore or along docks or landings where it is desired to discharge material from one side only.

Referring to Figure 6, the ends of the baflie blades may be notched or forked as indicated at 40, for adapting them to exert a more positive breaking up effect upon such material as they may come in contact with, andthus render-it more susceptible to the action of the current. The blades may be moreover reinforced by means of bars or strips 41 connecting and bracing the blades of each row.

It is thus apparent that I have devised an efficient and practical construction for carrying out operations of the character indicated. In addition tothe uses stated, it may also be pointed out that the apparatus is useful for protecting the banks of rivers and streams, as by preventing the formation of sand bars at or near any water intake;

for making fill-ins of such material; and for either digging canals or other waterways, or for cleaning the beds of the same by sluicing. The device can be made in any desired size and for operation in a permanent position, as on piling and supported by cables or other means. In smaller sizes, the device may be drawn through the waterway by horsepower, tractor, or the like, but as herein illustrated the apparatus is designed primarily to be operated from a boat as the For accentuating 1 most desirable and efficient method of use, p

and while I have described what appears to be the preferred form of embodiment of the invention, I d6SlI6' l1O reserve the right to make such changes or modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A baffle structure adapted .to be submerged in the path of a water current, and

comprising a plurality of bafiie fingers presented at an agle to the current and operative to break up and deflect the current at an angle to its normal path, and a hood member having a surface presented at an angle to the current and in position to divert the current into the direction of said baflie fingers.

2. A baffle structure adapted to be submerged in the path of a water current, and comprising a pair of converging barfle'members each carrying a row of baffle fingers at an angle to the current and operative to break up and deflect the current at an angle to its normal path, and a hood member positioned between said baflie members at an angle to the current and in a position to divert the same downwardly and. outwardly in the direction of both sets of baflie fingers.

3. A baffle-structure adapted to be submerged in the path of a water current, a supporting structure including a pair of pivoted and vertically adjustable arms, said bafiie structure being provided with a connection to said arms permitting adjustment of the position of said baffle structure horizontally with reference to said supporting structure, and means for raising and lowering said baffie structure about the pivot axes.

of said supporting structure.

4. A baffle structure adapted to be submerged in the path of a water current and comprising a pair of battle members each carrying a row of baflle fingers at an angle to the current and operative to break up and deflect the current at an angle to its normal path, and a hood member positioned at an angle to the current and in a position to divert the same downwardly and outwardly in the direction of both sets of baffle fingers.

5. A baflie structure adapted to be submerged in the path of a water current and comprising a baflie member having an upper row and a lower row of baflie fingers, both of said rows being arranged at an angle to the current and adapted to break up and deflect the current at an angle to its normal path, and a hood member arranged at a forward inclination to the direction of the current, the rear end of said somewhat higher than the upper ends of the upper ba-flle fingers andone side of said hood member extending along the middle line of said baffle memberbetween said upper and lower rows of fingers. a

6. A battle structure adapted to be submerged in the path of a water current, and comprising a pair of converging 'baflie members each having an upper and a lower row of baflle fingers at an angle to the current and operative to break up and deflect the current at an angle to its normal path, and a hood member positioned between said bafiie members at a. forward inclination to the direction of the current, the rear end of said hood member being somewhat higher than hood member being.

the upper ends of the upper baflle fingers and the sides of said hood member extending along the middle lines of said baflie members between said upper and lower rows of fingers, I

7. In combination with'a boat, a baflie structure adapted tov be submerged in the path of a-water current and comprising a pair of converging battle members each having an upper and a lower row of baflle fingers at an angle to the current and operative to break up and deflect the current at an angle to its normal path, means between said battle members for deflecting the main body of the water current in the direction of said lower rows of baflie fingers, and means for lowering and raising said bafiie structure into and out of operative position,

8. A battle structure adapted to be sub-- merged in the path of a water current and com risin a luralit of baflie fin 'ers resented at an angle to the current and operative to break up and deflect the current at an angle to its normal path, and a protective shoe carried by one end of said baffle structure in position for shielding the free ends of said baffle fingers.

In witness whereof I hereunto alfix my signature.

LEWIS H. FALLEY. 

